Time controlled incandescent lamp device



TIME CONTROLLED INCANDESCENT LAMP DEVICE Filed Dec. 51, 1927 ssheets-sheep 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY April 12, 1932. c. w. BURGER TIME CONTROLLED INCANDESCENT LAMPDEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. f/az'e zce %.B azyeyBY 6 d ATTORNEY.)

April 12, 1932. c. w. BURGER TIME CONTROLLED INCANDESCENT LAMP DEVICEFiled Dec. 31 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

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' CLARENCE w.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE BURGER, F CHERRYDALE,VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 LEROY MARK AND ONE-THIRD TO J OHN' E.SHQEMAKER TIME CONTROLLED INCANDESCENT LAMP DEVICE Application filedDecember 31, 1927. Serial No. 243,966.

My invention relates broadly to incandescent lamp devices and moreparticularly to a time controlled mechanism for incandescent lamps.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of timecontrolled switch mechanism for the socket of an incandescent lamp forcontrolling the time period over which a light may be energized afterthe circuit at the light is initially closed.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a compact arrangement oftime controlled switch mechanism for incandescent lamp sockets, whereinthe energization of the lamp may continue over a predetermined timeperiod after the circuit of the lamp is first closed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simplified arrangementof time controlled switch mechanism for installation in incandescentlamp sockets which may be readily manufactured and producedinexpensively on a quantity production scale and which provides apositive circuit interrupter for an incandescent lamp circuit after thelapse of a predetermined time interval for preventing the continuousconsumption of current at the light socket when such consumption 1sunwarranted.

My invention will be more clearly understood from the specificationhereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the incandescent lamp socket embodyingthe time controlled mechanism of my invention; Fig 2 is across-sectional View taken through the casing of the switch mechanism online 22 of Fig. 4t; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the switchmechanism looking in the direction of line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the time controlled mechanism with the casing brokenaway showing the interior parts of the apparatus; Fig. 5 is across-sectional view through the switch mechanism on line 55 of Fig. 7Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 7 Fig. 7 is alongitudinal cross-sectional view through the lam socket showing thearrangement of parts 0 the switch mechanism which constitutes thecircuit controller in the device of my invention; Fig. 8 is a lateralcross-sectional view taken through the casing of the switch operatingmechanism on line 88 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of thetime actuated mechanism on line 9-9 of Fig. 7; and Figs. 10, 11 and 12show perspective views of the parts of the circuit controlling mechanismwithin the time controlled device of my invention.

The time controlled circuit interrupter of my invention is particularlyapplicable for incandescent lamps which are employed in warehouses,libraries, store-rooms, factories, and in places where it is oftenpossible to inadvertently leave the light turned on when the light wasoriginally intended for use for only a short period of time. Lamps oftenburn continuously for many hours with a wasteful consumption ofelectrical energy whereas the useful period over which the lamp isemployed may be relatively short.

The purpose of my invention is to eliminate the unreasonable waste ofelectrical energy by providing means for cutting off the incandescentlamp at a predetermined time after the switch controller for closing theelectrical circuit has been actuated. The time lapse between the turningon and the cutting off of the energization circuit to the lamp isgoverned by the particular association of parts within the timecontrolling mechanism as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 1 designates ascrew plug having insulated bushing 8 and end contact 2 arranged toenter a light socket in place of the usual incanc escent lamp. The plug1 supports a body portion 4 to which is secured an insulated platemember 10. A frame structure extends from the insulated plate memberincluding the post members 14, plate member 12, plate member 15, postmembers 16 and insulated end plate member 11. A casing 5 extends betweenthe plate members 10 and 11 enclosing the switch operating parts. Asocket shell 7 is supported by means of arms 17 from the end plate 11and encloses the screw threaded receptacle 9 into which an incandescentlamp 8 plugged. A contact 18 is provided in ti o center of the screwthreaded receptacle 9 and insulated therefrom by means of insulatedmember 19 with terminals 20 and 21 carried on the plate 11 and extendingfrom the receptacle 9 and one side of the switch mechanism which I havedesignated generally at 22. The center terminal 18 connects throughconductive member 23 with the other side of switch mech anism 22 so thatthe switch mechanism is normally interposed in series with the powerline and the incandescent lamp 8 forming a circuit closer or a circuitinterrupter. The switch mechanism includes an intermit ent actuatorwhich I have designated at 24 having a plurality of cam faces indicatedat 25. I provide a central shaft member 26 positioned in an end socketbearing designated at 27 and journaled in plate members 12 and 15 asillustrated. The central shaft 26 has a ring gear 28 pinned on the endthereof and arranged to turn with the central shaft. At one Side of themechanism, I provide a bearmg 30 secured to intermediate slate 15 onwhich there is journaled the pinion 29 in engagement with the ring gearA ring gear 31 is journaled for rotation about shaft 26 and meshes withthe pinion 29 and has a pin 35 projecting therefrom and engagcablc bymeans of a cam device 36 which may be moved around the hub member 37 onshaft 26 when the operating chain 6 is pulled. The hub member 37 is faston shaft 26 while the device 36 is free to revolve around the hub 37under tension of spring 55 whereby the teeth on member 36 engage camfaces on the intermittent actuator 24. The operating chain followsaround a curved guide 38 and is anchored as represented 39. The normalposition of the cam member 36 is shown in abutment with one of the posts16, the cam member being maintained under ten sion by means of thespring 55, the tension on which may be adjusted by fitting the end ofthe spring 56 in a selected one of the holes 57 in the cam 36. Theopposite end of spring 55 is secured to one of the posts 16. The cam 36carries a pair of gripping faces represented at 40 for cooperation withthe gripping faces 25 associated with the switch actuating mechanism 22in such manner thatwhen chain 6 is pulled, the switch operatingmechanism may be snapped to given posh 5 tion at the same time that ringgear 28 is revolved by reason of the fact that the cam faces 40 on themember 36 engage the cam members 25 on the switch mechanism 24 as shownmore clearly in Fig. 10. Mechanism 24 revolves in one direction to closeor open the circuit to the lamp. Movement of ring gear 31 by shifting ofabutting pin 35 results in the winding of spring 43. The spring 43 issecured at 44 at one end and the other end thereof is secured to thecentral shaft 26 so that this spring may have energy stored therein byrotation of shaft 26 when the chain 6 has been pulled. The shaft 26 isrotatable in either direction and is driven in one direc tion forwinding spring 43 by the force transmitted by rotation of ring gear 31and in the opposite direction under power of spring 43 for impartingmovement through cam faces- 42 to the cam faces 25a on intermittentactuator 24 for shifting the switching device 22. A ratchet 45 carriedby shaft 26 is engaged by a pawl 46 secured upon gear member 47 The gear47 is in mesh with pinion 48 upon a shaft which carries gear 49. Thegear 49 meshes with a pinion 50 on the same shaft with gear 51 which inturn meshes with the pinion 52 carried on the shaft with escapement gear53 which operates escapement mechanism 54 by which the gear train iscontrolled to limit the rate at which the energy in spring 43 isexpended.

The winding of the main spring is accomplished by rotary movement of thecam member 36 and the movement of the gear train by Wl'llCll the mainspring 43 tends to wrap around the shaft 26. The unwinding of the mainspring 43 requires considerable period of time determined by the size ofthe spring, arrangement of the gear train and the operation of theescapement mechanism.

he unwinding of the spring 43 revolves shaft member 26 at a ratedetermined by the gearing and escapement mechanism imparting motion toring gear 28, intermediate or idler gear 29 and correspondinglyimparting motion through the ring gear 31 which tends to restore cammember 36 in one direction while the hub member 37 is revolving inengagement with intermittent actuator 24. This is accomplished by thefact that the cam faces 42 on hub 37 engage cam faces 25a on theactuator 24 to move the switch actuating mechanism 22. The cam 36 isrestored to its original position upon release of the chain, after beingpulled by action of spring 55. The composite result is a shift of theswitch operating mechanism to a position in which the circuit to theincandescent lamp may be opened. An interruption is therefore effectedin the circuit between the lamp and the power source. The circuit isoriginally made by action of the pull chain mechanism. The circuitcontinues complete over a period of time and then the switch mechanismis again automatically tripped by coaction between the cam members 42and 25a, the cam members 42 being rotatable under action of the mainspring 43.

The lamp socket device of my invention has been found to be extremelypractical for use in stock-rooms where a hurried trip may be made to thestock-room for the selection and withdrawal of material, the lightturned on and then the material taken away from the stock-room with theassurance that the incandescent light will automatically be extinguishedafter a predetermined time interval.

The device of my invention may also be actuated manually withoutawaiting the unwinding of the spring. That is to say, the switch may besnapped on or off independently of the automatic trip mechanism and itis unnecessary toawait the automatic tripping of the device in order toeffect an operation of the switch.

The construction of the time controlled switch mechanism of my inventionhas been found to be extremely practical, and while 1 have described theinvention in one of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it beunderstood that modifications may be made and that no limitations areintended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is as follows:

1. An incandescent lamp device for controlling the period ofenergization of an incandescent lamp comprising a central rotatableshaft member, a pair of ring gears concentrically positioned withrespect to said central shaft member, an intermediate gear meshing witheach of said ring gears, a main spring secured to said central shaftbetween saichring gears, and a switch mechanism concentricallypositioned with respect to said central shaft and controlled. by themovement of said ring gears under the action of said main spring.

2. An incandescent lamp device for controlling the period ofenergization of an incandescent lamp comprising a circuit maker andinterrupter, a pair of ring gears, a main spring disposed between saidring gears, and a shaft connected with said circuit maker andinterrupter and with said ring gears and said main spring for effectinga winding of said main spring and a circuit interruption after apredetermined time interval.

3. An incandesecent lamp device for controlling the period ofenergization of an incandescent lamp comprising a circuit interrupterand time controlled mechanism for actuating said circuit interrupter,said time controlled mechanism comprising a main shaft, a pair of ringgears concentrically mounted on said main shaft, a main spring disposedbetween said ring gears, means meshing with said ring gears forimparting simultaneous movement of said gears upon rotary movement ofsaid shaft, one of said ring gears being arranged to effect a circuitinterruption after a predetermined time interval under the action ofsaid main spring.

4.. An incandescent lamp device for controlling the period ofenergization of an incandescent lamp comprising a rotary switchmechanism and a spring winding and unwinding mechanism, said lastmentioned mechanism including a rotary shaft extending axially withrespect to said incandescent lamp device and having a ratchet connectionwith said switch mechanism, a pair of ring gears disposed concentricallyabout said shaft, a main spring connected to said shaft and to a fixedpoint relative to said ring gears, said switch mechanism being movableto either one of two positions, means for manually moving said mechanismto one of said positions, and means under control of said main springand said ring gears for moving said mechanism to the other of said twoposi tions.

5. ii. lamp socket attachment device for controlling the period ofenergization of an incandescent lamp comprising a casin a rotatableshaft joiu'naled in said casing, sp ing mechanism connected with saidshaft, said shaft having a ring gear connected with one end thereof andhaving a toothed hub portion intermediate the ends thereof, a rotaryswitch mechanism including an actuator, cam faces projecting therefrom,a rotatable member having cam faces arranged to grip with the aforesaidcam faces and manually movable to effect a movement of said rotaryswitch mechanism, an auxiliary ring gear concentrically mounted with respect to said shaft and arranged to turn with respect thereto andcoacting with said shaft for winding said spring mechanism.

6. ln time controlled switch for a lamp socket attachment, a. rotaryactuator, a switch having successive current carrying and non-currentcarrying positions, means extending from said rotary actuator forengaging said switch and shifting said switch to a selected position, acentral shaft disposed in alignment with the central axis of saidattachment, means on said central shaft for engaging said switchindependently of the means on said rotary actuator, and time controlledmeans for moving said shaft independently of said rotary actuator foreffecting movement of said switch subsequent to the movement of saidswitch under control of said rotary actuator.

7. In a time controlled incandescent lamp device, a central shaft, arotary switch having successive current and non-current carryingpositions, a rotary actuator having a clutch face thereon for engagingsaid switch and effecting a movement thereof under manual control, aclutch face carried by said shaft and arranged to independently engagesaid switch, and means connected to said shaft for shifting the clutchface thereon at a predetermined rate of speed to a limiting positionover a predetermined time interval subsequent to each operation of saidrotary actuator for tripping said switch.

8. An incandescent lamp device comprising a switch having successivecurrent and noncurrent positions, a rotary shaft member disposed inalignment with the central axis of said device, a clutch carried by saidshaft member and arranged to engage said switch, a manually controlledrotary actuator, a clutch carried by said rotary actuator for engagingsaid switch independently of the engagement between the clutch on saidshaft and said switch, a spring motor connected to said shaft, meansoperative upon movement of said rotary actuator for storing energy insaid spring motor upon the movement of said switch to a current carryingposition, means for effecting an engagement between the clutch on saidshaft and said switch upon movement of said switch to a current carryingposition for shifting said switch to a non-current carrying positionunder control of said spring motor at the end of a predetermined timeinterval.

9. In an incandescent lamp attachment, a rotary switch having successivecurrent and non-current carrying positions, a pair of independentclutches, a rotary actuator rotatable about an axis coincident with thelongitudinal axis of said attachment for shifting one of said clutchesunder manual control for moving said switch to a current carryingposition, a spring motor, means controlled by said rotary actuator forstoring energy in said spring motor, and means governed by said springmotor for shifting the other of said clutches automatically for movingsaid switch to a non-current carrying position at the end of apredetermined time interval.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLARENCE W. BURGER.

